QTVOTD: The WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE…

In my reading of John 14:1-7 today, I am struck by two things.

  1. As Jesus was pondering His own betrayal, death, and separation from God to suffer the payment for our sin, He chose to focus on and encourage His disciples.
  2. He takes the opportunity to remind them of who He is and what He is going to do for them.

First Jesus reminds the disciples who to trust in -> the Father and Himself. He then goes on to explain what He has in store for them…an eternity in the presence of Himself and the Father. Lastly He makes a statement “You know the WAY to place where I am going.”

Then it is Thomas (doubting Thomas no less) that speaks up and says [my paraphrasing] “Lord, wait a minute. We don’t know where you are going, so how in the world are we supposed to KNOW the way?”

Jesus’ answer was simple -> “I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE. The only way through to the Father is THROUGH Me.”

​THEREFORE, SINCE we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God’s favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2 [AMP]

QTVOTD: A new commandment…

This second half of chapter 13 primarily focuses on the identification of Judas as the ‘betrayer’ of Jesus. The interchange between Jesus and ‘the one whom Jesus loved’ (aka John the gospel writer) is interesting because Jesus revealed to John that it would be Judas to betray Him but John never does anything to prevent this betrayal. I wonder if John did nothing because Jesus did nothing or because Jesus directly after identifying him told Judas to hurry and go do what he was about to do.

After Judas leaves Jesus talks about how it is time for God to be glorified. We know that this is glorification in the redemptive story of the cross and justification for all through the death of His Son.

Jesus gives one new commandment -> “that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

APPLICATION: All this time the children of Israel adhered to the 10 commandments but here Jesus gives the disciples a new one. The importance of this new commandment is that through living with this love for one another, we easily find it achievable to adhere to the other 10. This servant heart I talked about yesterday is now bolstered by a command to actively love my brothers and sisters in Christ.

1 Corinthians 13:13
“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

QTVOTD: Accepting what Jesus did…

This whole story of Jesus taking the posture of a servant to wash the disciple’s feet is uncomfortable to read. Here is the Son of God (God Himself) putting a towel around his waist and then proceeding to wash the, what would be, the nasty street dirt ridden feet of the disciples.

Jesus took on this role fully knowing three things (according to John 13:1-3).

  1. The time for Jesus to complete His work on the cross had come.
  2. He knew that satan had placed the idea to betray Jesus in the heart of Judas Iscariot.
  3. He knew that God the Father had placed everything in His hands to complete.

Jesus took role and action to model for His disciples what they should be willing to do for one another after He had returned to heaven. Additionally, this act was an example of what Christ had done and will continue to do for them through His death on the cross. Through their acceptance of Jesus as God in the form of man, that He truly was the Messiah, they had their sins forgiven; not unlike bathing the whole body cleans the whole body. But as we walk through life, we will become dirty with sin which must be cleansed from us through regular confession and repentance.

APPLICATION: I must move on today not only listening to what the Lord has shown me in the reading of this chapter but also putting into action -> SERVANTHOOD. I must model for my family what it means to be selfless toward other Christians and the common man. Not only will I be directly doing something Jesus wants me to do, He says that it will make me blessed and happy.

“I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, A servant is not greater than his master, and no one who is sent is superior to the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed and happy and to be envied are you if you practice them [if you act accordingly and really do them].” John 13:16-17 AMP

QTVOTD: LIGHT and DARKNESS…

Today I spent a majority of my time reading John 7 through 12. Jesus spends so much time trying to teach the Jews about Himself yet the people’s eyes were closed. They were not the sheep of Jesus, they did not hear His voice, and he did not know their names. Jesus told us that we need to live in the LIGHT so that we might be prepared for walking in DARKNESS.

Living in the LIGHT means to live IN Jesus. He IS the LIGHT and His LIGHT will be IN our hearts if we FOLLOW Him. Follow in the Greek is Akoloutheo – which means a road or way, walk in the footsteps of, or to do what someone else does/says.

Now that I am a believer and saved by Gods grace through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, the LIGHT of God is in me when I FOLLOW Him. I can confidently walk in DARKNESS, the world, because His LIGHT is IN me.

For you were once Darkness but now you ARE LIGHT IN THE LORD – > Live as children of LIGHT. (Ephesians 5:8)

For the Lord is a Sun (LIGHT) and a shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless. (Psalms 118:27)